Crops

Potato

Climate and Soil : The crop is raised when maximum day temperature is below 300C and night temperature is not above 200C. Good crop growth is observed when days are sunny and nights are cool. Potato thrives well in cool climate. The highest tuberization is obtained when day and night temperature is 200C and 140C, respectively. Potato can be grown on different types of soils. Well drained, loose, friable, non-saline and non-alkaline loamy sand to sandy loam soils are suitable for this crop. Soil pH should be in the range of 5.5 - 8.0.

Improved Varieties :
Kufri Pukhraj (1998) : Plants are tall, vigorous and erect. It is an early bulking variety which gives economic yield quite comparable with Kufri Chandramukhi in 70 days. It is susceptible to late blight but escapes due to earliness. Its tubers are large uniform, oval, white with fleet eyes. It has dry matter content of 17-18 per cent. It yields 130 q/acre in 70-90 days.

Seed Rate : For autumn sowing 12-18 q/acre seed tubers of 40-50 g weight should be used for planting. Good quality and disease free seed should be used. The seed should be produced by using the seed plot technique. If the seed raised from autumn crop is to be used for spring planting, its dormancy should be broken by dipping cut tubers in a solution of 1% Thiourea and 1 ppm (one ml per 100 litres of water) Gibberellic Acid for an hour followed by air drying the treated tuber pieces for 24 hours in thin layers in shade.

Seed Potato Treatment and its Preparation : To control black scurf and common scab, treat the tubers with Tafasan or Emisan @ 2.5 g per litre of water for 10 minutes after taking out of the cold storage. The seed potatoes obtained from the cold store, cannot be planted immediately. It should first be dried with the help of blowers. Keep the treated tubers in a cool place/shade exposed in diffused sunlight for 8-10 days which initiates sprouting and helps the sprouts to become strong.

Time of Sowing : The best time for sowing is last week of September to mid-October for the autumn crop and the second fortnight of January for the spring crop. However, the date of sowing in September would much depend upon the temperature prevailing at that time.

Method of Planting : After the field has been prepared well, mark rows with a row marker. A ridger should be used for planting the crop manually. Semi-automatic or automatic planters are recommended where tractor power is available. The spacing between the rows should be 60 cm and between the tubers 20 cm. In south western districts, potato should be planted in two rows on 50-55 cm wide beds to get higher tuber yield and saving of water.

Manures and Fertilizers : Twenty tonnes of farmyard manure or green manuring alongwith 75 kg of N (165 kg of Urea), 25 kg of P2O5 (155kg of Single Superphosphate) and 25 kg of K2O (40 kg of Muriate of Potash) per acre should be used. Drill all P2O5 and K2O and half N at sowing and the remaining N at the time of earthing-up. Higher doses of these nutrients can be applied if the soil test shows low to very low status of these nutrients. Note: Application of N fertilizer more than recommended is no substitute for farm yard manure or green manure. Earthing-up : A double mould board plough or a ridger should be used for earthing up after 25-30 days of sowing.

Seed Plot Technique : This technique aims at raising a healthy seed crop of potato in Punjab during the period of low aphid incidence. This pest is responsible for transmitting the viral diseases, like leafroll, PVX, PVY and PVA. For the seed crop, healthy seed potato, free from viral infection should be obtained and planted in autumn i.e. in the first week of October. Sowing at a spacing of 50 x 15 cm would ensure the development of a large percentage of seed size tubers. An acre of the seed crop will produce enough seed for planting of 8 to 10 acres of the crop. Normal plant protection measures should be adopted to control aphids and other insect pests. Rogue out otherwise unhealthy plants noticed during the growing season to ensure the production for better quality seed. Towards mid-December, irrigation may be restricted and later withheld completely so that the haulms wilt and fall down. As soon as there are 20 aphids per 100 leaves, cut the haulms. Allow the tubers to mature in soil for about 15 days. The harvested crop may be graded and transferred to cold storage for planting in the following autumn season.

Tomato

Climate and Soil: Tomato is a warm season crop and requires a relatively long growing season with plenty of sunshine and moderate day temperature of 20–280C. It is sensitive to frost. Under low temperature, the plant growth is restricted and fruit setting is low. The critical factor in the setting of fruits is the night temperature, the optimum range being 15–200C.The red pigment in the fruit will develop only when the temperature is between 150C and 300C. Above this range of temperature, only the yellow pigment formed. When the temperature exceeds 400C, no pigment will be formed. Tomato can be grown in all types of soils, but the soil should be friable. However, it grows best in light soils ranging from sandy loam to loam.

Improved Varieties:
Punjab Varkha Bahar-1 (2009) : The plants are semi determinate, foliage cover is dense and dark green. Fruits are round and medium firm. It takes 90 days for maturity after transplanting. It is moderately resistant to leaf curl virus. The variety is suitable for cultivation during the rainy season. Its average yield is 215 q/ acre.

Punjab Varkha Bahar-2 (2009) : The plants are determinate, foliage cover is dense and light green. Fruits are round and medium firm. It takes 100 days for maturity after transplanting. It is moderately resistant to leaf curl virus. The variety is suitable for cultivation during the rainy season. Its average yield is 216 q/acre.

Sowing time : For winter planting, sowing should be done in October and transplanting in November-December. Sarkanda cover should invariably be provided during winter to protect the plants against frost. However, dwarf varieties can be successfully and economically covered with polythene bags of 35 cmx25 cm size and of 100- gauge thickness. The transplanting of tomato can also be done in February. For February planting, sow seed in the end of November and protect seedlings from frost in the nursery beds by covering with polythene sheets or sarkanda thatch. However, the yield obtained would be comparatively lower from February planted crop than from November planted crop.

Seed rate : Seed rate is 100g/acre when sown in the nursery. Sow nursery in two marla (50 m2) area to transplant one acre.

Nursery Raising : Prepare 1.5m wide and 20 cm high beds in an area of about two marlas (50 m2) to raise seedlings for an acre. Mix 5 quintals of well rotten farmyard manure with the soil and water the beds at least 10 days before sowing. Drench the beds with 1.5 to 2.0% solution of Formalin by applying 4-5 litres of solution per square metre. Cover beds with a plastic sheet/tarpaulin for 48-72 hours. Turn the soil in beds once a day for 4 to 5 days to eliminate Formalin.Treat the seed with 3 g Captan/Thiram per kg of seed. Sow seeds 1 to 2 cm deep in lines with 5 cm spacing. Drench the nursery plants with 0.4% Captan/Thiram (4g/litre of water) after 5 to 7 days of germination. Repeat after 7 to 10 days. The seedlings become 15 to 20 cm tall in four to six weeks. After lifting the seedlings, wrap them in a wet paper for carrying to the transplanting site.

Spacing : Dwarf varieties require a close spacing of 75 cm x 30cm. Rainy season varieties should be planted at a spacing of 120- 150x30 cm.

Growth Regulator : To increase the yield of tomato, spray ‘Vipul Booster’ @ 1 ml/litre of water in the nursery beds at least a week before transplanting. Repeat the spray of @ 0.5 ml/litre of water five times at fortnightly intervals. The first foliar spray after transplanting should be started a week after transplanting. Each spray application requires 100 litres of water for which 50 ml of the chemical is needed. This growth regulator increases the yield by 16-18 per cent in November transplanted crop and about 12 per cent in the February transplanted crop.

Chilli

Climate and soil : Chilli performs well under humid climate. It is photo-insensitive and day length neither affects flowering nor fruit setting. A frost free period of about 130-150 days with temperature range of 15-350C is optimum for chilli production. Generally chilli will not set fruit when night temperature is above 300C. Temperature beyond 400C result in poor fruit set and increased fruit drop. This is further agrevated if the relative humidity is low and is accompanied by dry winds. Chilli can be grown on a wide range of soils but well drained loamy soil rich in organic matter is best suited for its cultivation. It can not withstand water-logged conditions for more than a day. Although chilli can be grown on soils with a pH range of 5.0 to 8.0 but it performs best at a soil pH of about 6.5.

Improved Hybrids:

CH-3 (2002) : This hybrid has been developed by crossing MS- 12 x S-2530. It is an early maturing hybrid with dark green foliage and pendent fruits. The fruits are long (8.2 cm). The colour of immature fruit is dark green and turns dark red at maturity. The fruits are mild in pungency with 0.51% capsaicin content, high dry matter (22.5%) and good Vit. ‘C’ (109.95 mg /100g ) content. The deep red coloured fruits make it specially suitable for making chilli paste for export purposes. The average yield of red ripe fruits is 110 q/acre.

CH-1 (1992) : It is a hybrid between MS12 x LLS. Its plants gain one metre height and more branching. Plants continue bearing fruits for a long time. Fruits are light green when immature and attain deep red colour at maturity. Fruits are of medium size (6.62 cm long) and weigh 2.7 g each. This hybrid is tolerant to viral and fungal diseases. Its fruits are highly suitable for drying and used as salad. Yield of red ripe chilli is 100 q/acre. Its fruits are used in processing industry. Fruits on an average have capsaicin content of 0.80%.

Sowing Time : The seed is sown in nursery during end October to mid November. Transplanting is generally done in February – March.

Seed Rate : Seed rate is 200 g per acre when sown in the nursery. Sow nursery in one marla (25m2) area to transplant one acre.

Nursery Raising : Seed of chilli is sown on raised seed beds. The beds should be 1.25 m. wide with height of 15 cm. The soil is loosened with the help of khurpa or spade. If farm yard manure application is required, it should be well decomposed and incorporated well into the soil. Then soil is sterlized with formaldehyde (1.5-2.0%). For this Formalin of commercial grade is taken and 15- 20 ml of Formalin is added in one litre of water. This solution is added in the beds at the rate of 4-5 litres m2. so that it saturates upper 6 inches of the soil. The beds are then covered with polythene for a period of 48-72 hours. Afterward the covers are removed and soil is loosened so that fumes of the chemicals escape into air and do not hinder the germination of the seed. After removal of the cover, the sowing of seed is done after 3-4 days. Sowing should be done in rows drawn widthwise at a distance of 5 cm.

Spacing : Thick and stout seedlings perform better than tall seedlings and should be planted on ridges at 75 cm apart with plant to plant spacing of 45 cm. In case of mechanized farming the wider spacing can also be done to facilitate weed control by the protected application of non selective herbicides between the rows.

Growth Regulator : Due to high temperature in May-June dropping of flowers take place. Two foliar sprays of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) at 10 day interval @4g, 45 and 55 days after transplanting to increases the green and red ripe fruit yield of chilli. Dissolve 4g NAA in 10-15 ml of ethyl alcohal and make the volume one litre. At the time of spray use this one litre in 100 litres of water.

Pea

Climate and soil : Pea is a cool weather loving plant. It can germinate even at 4- 50C and can tolerate frost. However, under severe continuous frost, its flowers and young pods are likely to be damaged. Optimum germination takes place at 20-250C. At temperature of 300C and above, the germinating or emerging seedlings get killed. The high temperature conditions prevaliling at the time of planting results in the build up of wilt and stem fly complex which results in considerable losses in yield. Hence pea attain an ideal growth and development in areas where there is a slow transition from cool to warm weather. It can be grown on all types of soils but well drained fertile loamy soils are best for the crop. Pea do best in soils having pH 6.0 to 7.5.

Improved Varieties :

Matar Ageta-6 (1989) : Its plants are dwarf (40 cm), erect, vigorous and green. It can tolerate high temperature and can be sown early in the season. First picking is possible after 7 weeks of sowing. Each plant bears 12-15 pods. One or two pods are borne per bunch. Each pod contains up to 6 grains and shelling out turn is 44.6 per cent. Grains have high protein and dry matter content. On drying, percent seeds are light green, smooth with slight dimples. This variety gives 50 per cent of the total production in the first picking. Its green pod yield is 24 q/acre.

Arkel (1985): Arkel is an early maturing variety and takes about 60-65 days from sowing to marketable green pod stage. It is suitable for sowing in the first week of October under the irrigated conditions. Plants are dwarf (30-45 cm). Pods are borne both in double and single and are attractive, dark green, well filled, 8-10 cm long and each contains 7 to 8 dark green grains with a shelling percentage of 40. Dry seeds are light green and wrinkled. It is good for dehydration. Its green pod yield is 18 to 20 q/acre and seed yield is 3.5 q/ acre.

Punjab 89 (2007) : The plants of this variety are medium dwarf, vigorous, having more number of well filled pods (28-30 per plant). The pods borne in doubles and are dark green, long, very attractive having 9-10 grains per pod. It takes about 85-90 days for first picking. Shelled peas are very sweet and the shelling out turn is more than 55 per cent. Average green pod yield is 60 q/acre.

Sowing and Seed Rate : Since the incidence of wilt in September is very high, some what late sowing from mid-October to mid-November give the best crop in the plains. Seed rate is 45 kg for early maturing varieties and 30 kg for main season varieties per acre. Line x Plant spacing should be 30 x 7.5 cm for early and 30 x 10 cm for main season varieties. The sowing of pea can also be done with Seed-cum- Fertilizer pea drill on ridges which are 60 cm wide. This drill sows two rows of pea which are 25 cm apart on each ridge. This drill can sow one acre per hour.

Inoculation : In areas where pea crop has not been sown earlier, it is advisable to treat the seed with bacterial culture (Rhizobium leguminosarum ) to ensure nodule formation and quick growth. It increases the yield and quality of pods. The culture is available in the Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. One acre culture packet should be mixed with half litre of water. Rub the mixture thoroughly on seed to give a fine covering of the culture to every seed. Thereafter, spread the seed in shade for drying and plant it immediately afterwards.